Sweetwater IPA - SweetWater Brewing Company

HopHeadRyan

Pennsylvania

4.59/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Picked up at the A-Plus Sunoco of all places in Mt Plseasan, SC. In SC they apparently know what they are doing...6 beers on tap at a gas station for growler fills and reasonably priced.

Picked up a sixer of Sweetwater IPA based on BA reviews...very good choice...

Great hoppy aromas, delicious hop flavors and malt sweetness, superbly balanced, a great example of an American IPA.

Try this one if you are ever in the Southeast. Would love to visit the brewery in Atlanta.

There APA is also excellent! Give sweetwater a try! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 18:26:32 | More by HopHeadRyan

Roman5150

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

bottle best by 6/30/13

appearance: a semi darker amber orange, with a huge white foamy head that last for awhile.

smell: citrus, subtle grapefruit, lemon (perhaps accentuated by the yellow label?), earthy hops, wheat, hay

taste: hops are very smooth and earthy, very balanced and not a "super hoppy" ipa. smooth malt backbone, and i got notes of citrus, some grapfruit, and wheat. it tasted like a summer IPA, very refreshing but not much for the hop head.

Mouthfeel: not much carbonation at all, could really use a boost. a bit watery....

Overall: While I would prefer more hoppiness, this is just a single IPA and Sweetwater succeeded in making a well balanced drinkable summer IPA. Very subtle earthy hops, smooth malt backbone, and it's very drinkable. I like it better than most of Terrapins IPA offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:38:33 | More by Roman5150

harrymel

Washington

3.81/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Best by 23APR13

Hazed tanned leather with a solid fine sheet of light tan foam. Smells like mangoes, light malt, some bits of bubble gum, and more mango. Although pretty one dimensional, the fruity character of the nose is really nice. Flavor follows through a bit more malt balanced with some light bitterness, hints of wood and still plenty of fruity sweet mango with a touch of grapefruit pith. Medium on full bodied for the style with a light, fine carbonation and a wet finish. I bet this hits the spot on a hot southern day.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 04:56:42 | More by harrymel

Billolick

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 ounce bottle, best before 4-23-13 faintly printed on the label. Purchased and enjoyed on a mini vacation to Florida

A. Pours lightly hazed orangey amber. Lite tan head nice looking scattered sheeting

S. tropical fruit nose, with resiny hop undertones

T. Pleasingly loaded with pineapple and grapefruit notes. Hop resins present but not overwhelming things

M. Smooth and pleasing

O. High quality IPA. This is a fine example of the American version of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 03:10:55 | More by Billolick

csparace

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

This isn't my first time with this beer. I've had it on tap and bottle before and just got a sixer. Its a tad old but still pretty fresh. It pours a hazy orange brown with a two finger head of large bubbles. There are hints of carbonation rising to the top. Nice lacing. Head fades within a couple of minutes. Right from the start you get a combination of sweetness and hops. The hop bite isn't quite as large as other times I've had it, but has a large body to it. Hints of lemon and grapefruit. The finish has more of the hop bite. It has a very refreshing feel to it and should be best enjoyed after a lot of man sweating. Overall a seriously good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 01:55:23 | More by csparace

bsp77

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into wine glass.

Appearance: Clear amber with decent off-white head and lacing wisps.

Smell: Grapefruit, orange, pine and toasted malt. Standard but good IPA aroma.

Taste: Just like the aroma, it is a standard mix of grapefruit and orange with a toasted malt backbone. Finish has pine, spiciness and some bitterness.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, hop oily medium body, nice dry finish.

Overall: My first beer from Georgia, and a damn fine one at that. Fairly straightforward IPA, but execution matters the most, and this is well done.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 23:53:45 | More by bsp77

buschbeer

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass
Acquired in trade. Thanks sommersb

A - It is amber colored and hazy. This beer is highlighted along the edges with a sunset, golden color. Two inches of off-white head rest comfortably on top.

S - At first I smelled some skunky weed. As it warmed some citrus and caramel malt come through.

T - The taste consists of some weak citrus and a watered down pine finish. The flavors grow as I consume it.

M - Thin to moderate

O - It's a slightly above average beer. Maybe I am spoiled by big flavored IPA's, but this one seems a little weak to me.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 23:53:22 | More by buschbeer

StJamesGate

New York

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Fast-fading white head that laces, speckles and sheets over rusty amber body.
Mango, resin and clementine nose - real zesty.
Apricot danish with huge canned orange chunks hops.
Lemon Italian ice finish and long orange peel linger.
Medium, chewy, crisp.

A champion, citrussy IPA - very surprised to see that this is EKG and not something like Centennial. Malt is there and the IBUs are not huge - very East Coast that way. I could sit with this one all day.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 10:23:09 | More by StJamesGate

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.21/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Thanx Damian74Shensky:

Enjoy by April 7, 2013:

A: hazy orange/amber colored body with a one finger white head that dies fairly quick, clingy lacing is left in rings

S: citrus, pine and floral tones combined and are up front, ever so light malt in the background, the smell stays that way all throughout the brew

T: bittersweet through the previously mentioned flavors and combined thoroughly

M: light to medium, carbonation is felt just right, very sessionable, dry bitter aftertaste and finish

O: this is a very good American IPA that I would definitely come back to as it is simple and didn't change throughout

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 21:07:50 | More by kangarooAdam59

AmitC

Indiana

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A very good IPA once more for me.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Had passed this brewery the first time around shopping in Atlanta. Went to their brewery, it was not yet open and i did not have much time so had to come back as is.

Very good overall appearance. Hazy Orangish amber color. A good one finger thick off white colored head with good persistence. Receding head leaves an excellent looking head. Sticky yes. Some bubbles are seen through the haze.

Wow citrus and flowery hop aroma. Full of life. Pervasive. Strength is good to strong. A decent malt backbone with very slight hint of sweetness. A lot of citrus type - grapefruit or orange aroma come through. Very near to Hopslam aroma just a tad low.

A nice mix of citrus hops that impart a lemony, grapefruit or orange peel like flavor. Punches the tongue for a little while more due to carbonation than bitterness. Decent malt presence. End and finish is bitter with a slight lingering and fading malt. More like a well balanced pale ale than an IPA.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. No astringency. Punch packed IPA with no alcohol to speak of.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 23:16:44 | More by AmitC

Immortale25

Florida

4.06/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. There's supposed to be a Best By date but it's blank.

A- Pours a dark amber with a 1/2 inch off-white head that retains for quite a bit before decaying to an 1/8 inch head. Thick, foamy lacing is very adherent to the glass.

S- Smooth, citrusy hop aroma brings to mind grapefruit, pineapple and Starburst candy. Malt is a distant afterthought but still there to round out the profile.

T- Taste is a bit more balanced with the malt sticking in and bringing a bready characteristic to back up the mildly bitter hops. The hops are more grassy and piney than in the aroma. The flavor is also decidedly less sweet than the smell. Alcohol is masked as well as one would expect for the ABV.

M- Slightly sharp and oily with medium carbonation and a light-medium body.

O- A subtle, yet effective IPA. Very sessionable and enjoyable, like most of Sweetwater's beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:04:16 | More by Immortale25

BryanCarey

Texas

3.99/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sweetwater IPA pours to a slightly hazy orange hue with a nose that includes scents of citrus, tropical fruit, and a small amount of pine. The foam looks good and the beer manages to leave some lacing on the sides of the glass as you consume.

The taste of Sweetwater IPA is about what one would expect based on the nose. The flavors of grapefruit and light spice stand out, but there are also some tastes of caramel and a sweet maltiness that balance out the bitterness of the hops. The bitterness level is lower than most IPA but there is still enough present that you cannot help but take notice.

Sweetwater IPA is not over the top like other American IPA and this fact adds to its appeal. When I first sampled this beer, my initial impression was that it didn’t contain enough hops and wasn’t worthy of the IPA label. But the more I tried it, the more I appreciated and respected its unique flavor angle. The juiciness of this beer and the wide acceptability of its taste are two of its best qualities and it seems like a good beer for the uninitiated as well as the seasoned craft beer geek.

This beer is not as hop- infused as others of its style, but it does have many positive qualities. It offers a more unique twist on the style and makes a good option for the craft beer curious who want to like IPA, but cannot make the palate leap to the 90+ IBU level. Try it if you can find it- you should like what you discover.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 05:39:02 | More by BryanCarey

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.89/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Moderate bottle-poured head. It leaves good ring/spotty lace on the glass. The liquid is copper gold in color. Mildly hazy.

Strong grapefruit rind aroma from the hop. In the background is some melon and caramel with a dash of sweetness. Some alcohol to the nose.

Starts with a neutral malt flavor, but the prickly and peppery hop kicks in quickly. The aftertaste is shorter than one might expect given the biting finish. The body is middle of the road as is the carbonation level.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 21:36:30 | More by smcolw

acsprouse

South Carolina

3.74/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A: orangish pour/ cloudy in appearance. Soft pour produced thin white head. With some retention.

S: floral hops. Citrus. Some malt sweetness in there.

M: slightly resiny, Yet still on the more thin side.

T: everything From the nose is there. Its floral. The hops are straight forward. Its piney. Some citrusy.

O: pretty average beer. I suggest a try

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 06:51:17 | More by acsprouse

jackalish

Tennessee

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

If you love a citrus hop aroma, this is the beer for you. It's refreshing, not overly bitter and has a really nice feel.

The beer is unfiltered and has a cloudy appearance but not as cloudy as a wheat beer.

The citrus hop aroma is incredible and hits you right off. In fact, you don't get much malt aroma from the hops. Before the first drink you're going to expect an overwhelmingly bitterness with that aroma, but it's more bark than bite.

Like with all people, taste is a highly subjective thing, however, I think any seasoned beer drinker who enjoys diversity will enjoy this fine beer.

Now, with that said it could use a bit more diversity in the aroma, but otherwise, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 04:08:02 | More by jackalish

jucifer1818

Florida

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Dirty light amber

S: smells of fresh hops, right off the farm, with some earthy udnertones.

t: Light peach, with heavy earthy hops. Not too agressive, but a bit to light for my taste

m: heavy carbination bite, but a bit wattery for my standard. Average

Overall: slightly better than average, you can do better but for the price you could do worse.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 20:20:00 | More by jucifer1818

guityler83

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Not sure its in a bottle.. i know i know

S: Sweet with a tropical/citrus fruit hop nose. slightly catty and grainy.

T: Strong piney bitterness that follows you all the way through. Modest doughy malty backbone that balances nicely. Catty and citrusy hop flavors that fatigue that pallet after the first few sips.

M: The amount of hop oils in this beer provide a mouth drying astringency like most late hopped IPAs.

O: As I drink this in a hotel room in rural Georgia I've got to say this a very enjoyable IPA. Definatly want to drink it before the date on the bottle since its dry hopped. Only my second beer from sweetwater and its a winner.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:11:24 | More by guityler83

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.88/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle into a pint glass

A - translucent copper color with cotton white foam. Fridge temp pour produces an inch or two of head, crown retains and lacing at the top of the glass.

S - nice, citrus peel/zest type of smell. Somewhat muted, orange and grapefruit dominate with some tropical mango type notes on the edge.

T - very drinkable. Citrus and floral hop leads, a good dose of mild bittering follows to close it out. Nothing really asserts itself as a particular flavor or note, but overall, a very easy drinking IPA.

M - solid. Nice carb, light medium body.

O - a tasty IPA that I would pick up regularly if it were available in my area.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 05:55:28 | More by Beerandboards

Ell

Alabama

4.18/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is an excellent everyday drinker. It makes me sad to see it losing store and bar space to its smaller, more malty brother 420 (which is good, but not great).

Pours an orangey hue. Pretty color.

Nose is grapefruit. Very floral as well.

Big hop bite, then balanced nicely with a bisuity malt taste. Very hop forward, but not cloyingly so.

Mouthfeel is light - maybe too drinkable. Very easy to down a boatload of these.

Really excellent beer from a very good brewery.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 15:24:01 | More by Ell

chickenflea

Florida

3.89/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz: Hazy golden color, small white head that settles quickly. Good lacing. Grapefruit aroma with a touch of spiciness. Dried apricot sweetness also in the nose. A very nice aroma. Taste is very sweet with just the right amount of bittering for an IPA. Hops taste more floral than the citrusy aroma promised. The finish is long and steady with no odd tangents. Texture is a little sticky. Carbonation is above average - biting. The carbonation gives the beer a refreshing quality. A nice IPA the selection of hops (Columbia for bittering, and Golding for aroma) made this IPA interesting.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 10:23:31 | More by chickenflea

davey101

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Best if enjoyed by 02/13/13. Thanks for the extra sommersb.

A - Pours a vibrant orange body with one finger of off white foam. Great lacing and retention.

S - Grapefruit and some pine followed by a solid caramel malt backbone.

T - Similar to the nose. Grapefruit ad piney hops followed by a very sweet malt backbone. Basic, simple, tasty, to the point.

M - Light to medium bodied with decent carbonation. Highly drinkable with a nice lasting bitterness. Very clean and refreshing.

O - Probably a bit old at this point, but still a very solid and highly drinkable IPA. Proves the point that a hoppy beer should have a solid malt base to hold up to a bit of age.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 23:11:11 | More by davey101

at7000

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm going with a 4.5 for this one. Hands down, an excellent IPA. More of a classic/traditional style IPA. And not one of the currently trendy IPAs, which favour a syrupy, overly malty, sweet taste/finish. What a really IPA should be, plenty of bitter hop taste, and a nice bitter/dry, and slightly crisp finish. (Not that cloying malty/syrupy taste, prevalent in many of the current IPAs)

I'm surprised Sweetwater got their IPA right. I have not been too impressed with their other beer, but they hit a home-run with this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 18:34:06 | More by at7000

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.16/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle from Total Wine Tampa FL for 2$

Appearance - Slightly hazy dark gold colour with an average size fizzy off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some great lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Hops, malts, caramel, apricots

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste caramel and malts mixed with hops. There is also some grapefruit mixed with some tropical fruit flavours like pineapple/guava and some apricots. It ends with a fruity sweet aftertaste with a medium to low amount of hop bitterness.

Overall – My kind of IPA.. lots of fruity juicy flavours. I'd like a little more in the hop department, but this is still a beer that I'd be happy drinking the rest of my life.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:56:12 | More by spinrsx

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle from Bullocks (Woodstock, GA). 8.99/ 6-pack. Bottled 12/18/12. Served in a Sweetwater snifter.

Pours deep golden amber with one full finger of fluffy head that laces well.

Smells of resinous grapefruit, pine and floral hops. Nice.

Taste follows the nose. Grapefruit, pine, faint pimeapple, floral, pepper and sweet biscuit. Crisp and tasty.

Slick medium feel and mildly oily with a zesty dose of carbonation. Long dry finish full of more tropical fruity hops.

Not sure why I don't drink this more often. It's a relatively cheap, year-round, widely available (even in local Walmarts and grocery chains) and freakin good IPAa but I only buy a sixer maybe once a year. Definately the best availabe local IPA and can hold it's own against most of the big boys (Two Hearted, Jai Alai, Centenial). Very much worth trying if you aren't already familiar.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 03:26:39 | More by ThickNStout

match1112

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Received this in a BIF from hippityhophead24! Label clearly states that it's best if enjoyed by 02/18/13. Clear amber body produces a thin loosely bubbled head that leaves some spider web like lacing. Aroma is pretty one dimensional. Grapefruit hops overpower anything else that might be in this beer. Taste is very grapefruity as well. Although some caramel sweetness and maybe a hint of cracker poke thru. Carbonation is decent but this just feels a little thin and watery for an IPA. Long bone dry finish with more of that dry plain cracker on the finish. Overall this is a good IPA that is easy to drink. Just seems a little too one dimensional to get the praise that the big boys get nation wide.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 21:06:03 | More by match1112